19 January 2006

Why Gay Marriage (or Functional Equivalent Thereof)?

Andrew Sullivan has new digs at Time. Today, he's got this post, "Brokeback Today," up about how the surviving member of a gay male couple in Oklahoma is getting screwed out of his share of his partner's estate -- a nice sized ranch -- because one asshole cousin successfully contested the will. If they'd've had proper protection for their relationship under the law, like married straight people, it would've just transfered.

Sullivan:

And people ask why gay couples want the right to civil marriage. Because they are always one ornery relative away from having their relationships shredded under the law.

Non-married or non-marriagable-at-this-time people reading this: Put as much property as possible in both of your names. There's nothing to contest then.

Read the background about the couple and how they raised three kids here. To add insult to it all, the cousins of the deceased partner are suing the surviving partner for back rent. Barf.